Afzal Guru's family was informed about execution: Home Secretary

New Delhi, Feb. 9 (ANI): Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh on Saturday said 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's family was informed prior to his execution.

"I asked the jail authorities. So, they had sent intimation by speed post. And the DG of J-K was also requested to confirm from the family whether they had got the letter," said Singh.

"There was not attempt to make it a secret. It was a procedure that was followed. The only thing is that we didn't give a running commentary on the procedure," he added.

Singh further informed that Guru's burial has taken place inside the Delhi's Tihar Jail according to the jail manual.

The Home Secretary earlier in the day said that Guru was hanged at 8 a.m. in Delhi's Tihar Jail.

"He was hanged at 8 o' clock this morning. The president rejected his petition on February 3. The law and justice is taking its course," he said.

Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has condemned Guru's hanging saying the latter was not involved in the 2001 Parliament attack and was also not given a chance to defend himself in connection with this case.

Geelani said Guru's hanging at the Tihar Jail this morning is a matter of sorrow and pain for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"After Maqbool Bhat (Kashmiri nationalist) 'Sahab' was hanged in the same manner on February 11, 1984 in Tihar Jail, it is a second big blow for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We declare it as injustice because our stand on Afzal Guru 'Sahab' is that he was not involved in the Parliament attack. Personally, he was not involved in the attack. He was not given the chance to defend himself in the trial court," said Geelani.

"On the basis of that, I can say that the punishment given to him is injustice and I condemn this. Even his wife, son and relatives were not informed about the execution. His family members should have been given a chance to meet him prior to the execution," he added.

Geelani also condemned the curfew that has been imposed in the Kashmir Valley after Guru's hanging.

Disapproving the government's decision, the separatist leader further said that he has given a three-day strike call in the Kashmir Valley in this regard.

"We have also given a three-day strike call in the Kashmir Valley on 9, 10, 11 and the strike will go on till Afzal Guru's body and his other valuables is not handed over to his family members," said Geelani.

Curfew has been imposed in all 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley as a precautionary measure since early morning today after Guru's hanging.

Scores of personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the state police have been deployed in Srinagar and other sensitive parts of the valley.

According to reports, the people residing in majority areas in the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Anantnag and Pattan, have been issued directions to remain at home.

Sensitive areas of the state have been sealed and the army is also on high alert.

President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Guru's mercy plea on February 3 and a final decision to execute him was taken on February 8.

Guru was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in 2004.

On 13th December 2001, five heavily-armed gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine persons.

They included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official, two Parliament watch and ward staff and a gardener.

A journalist, who was injured, died later. All five terrorists were shot dead.

Guru, a Kashmiri Muslim, was arrested within hours after the attack from a bus in the national capital. (ANI)

--

Get stories like this on the Yahoo app and discover more every day.Download it now.